PSN Issue
By: 
~ Randy Grossman, V.P. of
Harmonizing With Humanity.
One
thing that has always worked with calming my oldest daughter Jaimie—or
giving her nervous system the little boost it needs—has been music.
Music
is a fantastic tool because there are so many options out there to
choose from—depending
on what Jaimie needs and when. We can go from classical to pop to jazz
to
country and everything in between. A lot of therapists incorporate
music into
their regular sessions because it can be soothing, bring emotions out
that we
aren't dealing with and can even rise
us up when we're
low. I'm finding that as Jaimie gets older, music has become an
important part
of her overall sensory plan. And it took a conversation with an amazing
Dad to
make me realize the importance of music—not only for children with
special needs, but to all of
us.
Our journey to
music in therapy
One morning earlier this spring,
while
seeking some enlightenment from one of my online SPD parent support
groups, a
long-time member—and a very close friend—shared a link to a YouTube
video of a
song advising everyone who watched it to "have Kleenex handy!"
That song was called, "The Life That's Chosen Me." It was written by
Grammy-nominated
singer, Karen Taylor-Good, with Lisa Aschmann, and performed by Karen
for the
first time in Orlando December 9th, 2008 for a roomful of parents of
exceptional children.
You don't have to be the parent of a special needs child to be touched
by the song. But those of us who are such parents will feel it's
meaning deep
in our souls.
The song says what all
special needs families wish we could say to others: "I
know my family
isn't perfect but it's okay. I'm doing the best I can because this is
the life
that God gave me." Then the song goes on describing what others can do
to help.
And Randy Grossman, V.P. of Harmonizing With Humanity, understands
first hand
the heart of this song: he has two autistic boys of his own.
"I realized that
there are so many
caregivers out there who aren't as lucky as my wife and myself in terms
of
support and/or assistance and are feeling very alone," Randy said
during our
one-and-half hour telephone conversation. "We wanted to reach out
through music—the
universal language—to help people find some sort of comfort."
The awesome group of
musicians contributing to the Harmonizing With Humanity are
what Randy
calls, "Indie Positive Artists": Musicians who uplift spirits with
their
God-given talents. They are some of the most talented artists today and
their
music provides listeners with entertainment and
a positive message. What could be better than that?
I think what touched me the
most, aside from
his obvious and contagious love for his boys was the incident from
which all of
this stemmed from. One morning when dropping his son off at school he
drove up
at the end of a line-up of cars waiting to get out of the parking area.
This
wasn't a typical morning, however, because the parent at the front of
the line
was overcome by an emotional meltdown and unable to continue
. "Parents behind her knew what was happening and felt her
pain," Randy
said. "No one moved or even honked. For about seven minutes we all
waited
patiently—all of us have been in that situation before. Then the Vice
Principal came out to talk to her—to offer support—until she was
finally able to leave the parking lot. It was then that I realized
parents and
caregivers need more support."
Shortly after that, he met up
with Karen
Taylor-Good who, unbeknownst to Randy, was so inspired by his story
she'd
written the lyrics to "The Life That's Chosen Me." From there, Randy
was
inspired to create an album filled with hope for these caregivers. As
he states
on his website: "Our mission is
to unite like-minded "positive music artists" and fans who love
listening while
providing a center point to support important causes."
By the time we'd
reached the end of our
conversation, I felt as though I said goodbye to an old friend. Randy
and I
related not only on the level of parents of exceptional children but
also as
musicians who understand what the power of music is capable of doing.
It can
inspire, encourage, uplift, recharge and unite. And powerful music
mixed with
beautiful lyrics is a recipe for success no matter how you look at it.
As I'd shared with Randy, as
soon as I
realized Jaimie struggled with something—before her SPD diagnosis—I
used music as a way to get through to her. I couldn't hold her, but I
could
sing to her. She rejected my comforting "Mommy touch", but,
she allowed me to sit with her while she listened to music or let me
crazy-dance with her as she worked through a meltdown. And that's what
Randy's gorgeous songs reminded me of. Through music, I'm able to reach
a part
of my daughter's soul very few get to...and it's my way of hugging her
and her
way to do the same.
In the four minutes I listened
to that song,
my soul healed, my strength to move forward returned and I was reminded
why I
do what I do for Jaimie, and all four of my children. As I've said many
times,
to myself and to others who want to be near Jaimie, if we want to grow,
we need
to be willing to look beyond the surface—beyond what only our eyes
allow
us to see—and be brave enough to look through other lenses. Only then,
can
we truly understand something or someone else. And that's exactly
what
Randy Grossman, and the rest of the people involved with Harmonizing
With
Humanity, does.
Music truly is
the great communicator
because it makes us stop, listen and pay attention no matter what
language we
speak, the culture we're from, or if we can even communicate verbally
at all.
Shortly after watching the video with me, Jaimie leaned towards me, put
her
head in my lap—thatÕs how she hugs most days—and said, "I loved
that song, Mama." Today there isn't a day that goes by she when isn't
humming
it or belting the lyrics out at the top of her lungs—depending on how
she
feels at the time.
That's
the power of music. And
God Bless people like Randy Grossman and his team for understanding
that.
***
SIDEBAR: Fun and Simple
Ways to Heal Through Music
You don't need to enroll
your child in music therapy or be a professional musician, like Randy
or his
crew, to work music into a regular therapeutic routine. You just need
to have a
love for music and instill that love in your child. A very important
note to
make is that certain pitches can actually trigger negative reactions.
The best thing to do is pay close
attention to how your child responds and
reacts to certain types of music and adjust what you use
accordingly.
Here are a few fantastic suggestions I found on a site called, "Raise A
Smart
Child" (http://www.raise-smart-kid.com/music-therapy-activity.html)
on the
subject of using music as therapy or a form of learning.
Chynna's
brain bite:
If you want
to use music as a form of therapy
then please seek the
guidance of a trained professional who can create the best program for
you and
your child. The following options are simply ways to incorporate music
into
your set therapy set-up.
(1) Sing loud and proud. Who cares if you aren't the
next Michael Buble or Whitney Houston? All
your baby cares about is the music and the energy you put into it. Get
into it
and they will too!
(2) Movement is key. Clap, stomp, boogie, shake your behind, wave,
or tap. Using actions and movement not only injects some energy into
the
exercises but can also create a beautiful bond. Children learn best
when they're
in motion—besides, energy is contagious. So be sure to
have tons of it.
(3) Play instruments or toys with
the music.
Have a nice variety of musical instruments to work
with to correspond with the child's needs, mood and abilities.
Instruments like
recorders, drums, maracas, and xylophones are great starts. Don't
forget you
can always use things around the house such as a comb covered with was
paper,
spoons, pots and pans with a wooden spoon, etc. Use your imagination.
(4) Show them how to do it! Be your child's role model. If
you are excited and
energetic, your child will be too. Show them how it's done! Throw
caution to
the wind and sing, dance, and go crazy. If your child needs help
calming
instead of exerting energy, show them how to relax and listen.
(5) Offer a wide variety. Choose different styles of
music like: Classical, Country, Rock,
Vocal, Jazz, Bluegrass, Opera and Instrumental. My Jaimie's favorites
are
classical (for calming), Jazz or Beatles (for dancing the sillies away)
and
Harmonizing With Humanity (for working through feelings).
(6) Praise participation at
any level. It doesn't
matter whether they can make it through the entire song. All that
matter is
that they try and that they get something from it. It's supposed to be
spontaneous movement and provide the opportunity to express their
feelings and
energies. Allow this freedom.
(7) Watch your child with your
sensory glasses on.
Be aware of how much time your child is exposed to
music and sounds, including radio and television. Getting too much
sensorial
stimulation decreases the benefits of music, especially for children
with
auditory defensiveness.
(8) Be in sync with the music. Be sure to have all
distractions off: telephone,
television, younger siblings, toys, etc. Your child will not absorb the
benefits of the music if he or she is distracted.
The
most important part is to have FUN. Even if your
child doesn't seem to embrace it at first, continue working the music
into
regular activities and/or therapy sessions. Music truly is the great
communicator—just give it a chance and you'll see!
Disclaimer: All information on this site is of a general nature and is furnished for knowledge and understanding only.